


Waiting for the Thunder

by Mireille



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre: M/M, Pre-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-02-03
Updated: 2006-02-03
Packaged: 2019-03-13 15:45:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 575
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13573746
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mireille/pseuds/Mireille
Summary: If he could bottle this feeling and sell it, Randall thinks, two things would happen: he'd be the richest man on earth, and he'd create a nation of addicts within a week.





	Waiting for the Thunder

**Author's Note:**

> If you close your eyes and pretend you don't know how this ends, it almost looks like a happy fic.

If he could bottle this feeling and sell it, Randall thinks, two things would happen: he'd be the richest man on earth, and he'd create a nation of addicts within a week. This is being _alive_ : the electricity in the air from the thunderstorm rumbling in the distance, and the anticipation of that feeling of relief when the rain finally begins to fall; the other, deeper tingle under his skin, of energy not yet grounded, the faint buzzing down his spine that had been there since they'd cast the first spell that morning. 

There's money in his pocket for once; they'd had good luck with the spells they'd tried. Levitation charms, spells to distract their mark while one of them nicked the wallet, the handbag, the promising-looking parcel--everything had, for once, gone without a hitch. 

At least, he thinks the money's in his pocket; his pocket's in his trousers, logically enough, and those are... somewhere around here. Possibly out in the front hallway; they'd been keyed up enough on magic, turned on by hours of stolen touches when no one was looking, and they'd just made it inside the flat before they decided clothing was just getting in the way. 

A bolt of lightning illuminates the room, and Randall gets another good look at the boy lying next to him. Under his breath, he counts, waiting for the thunder, not saying anything even when Ripper opens his eyes and gives him a curious look. "Five," he says, as the thunder booms, loud enough to rattle the windowpanes; it's going to be an incredible storm. 

"Kid stuff," Ripper mutters, but his hand slides along Randall's side, light and aimless. In his head, Randall triples the price for the bottled essence of how-today-feels. Ripper's fingers trace the patterns his mouth made on Randall's skin an hour or so ago, and Randall wonders how long it's going to be before Ripper's hand is wrapped around his prick again, his touch harsh like Ripper's voice in his ear. 

Lightning flashes again; this time, he only has the count of three to study Ripper's face. He doesn't tell Ripper the count this time, just kisses him. It's a lazy kiss, slow and messy and undemanding, and not for the first time, Randall's glad he'd apparently looked like an easy target the other day, when Ripper had tried to levitate his wallet out of his pocket. Easy enough spell, and it was amazing how easily people explained it away if they noticed. Pity Ripper had picked the one person who'd feel the prickle of magic on his skin and track it to its source. 

Not really a _pity_ , Randall corrects himself, pulling away to sprawl on his back again. "Doing anything later tonight?" he asks, and, when Ripper shrugs, goes on, "I'm supposed to meet up with some of my mates later on. Come along if you want. You'll like them." And they'll like him, especially when Randall tells them about the magic. Ripper won't tell him where he learned it, but he's definitely been _taught_ , by someone who knows what he's doing. 

And, all right, Randall wouldn't mind showing him off to the others, just a bit. Just because he's pickier than Philip doesn't actually mean he _never_ gets laid, and it's time someone else acknowledges that. 

"Yeah, all right," Ripper says, grinning. 

The room's bright with lightning again, but this time, Randall forgets to count for the thunder.

**Author's Note:**

> [me on tumblr](https://mireille719.tumblr.com)


End file.
